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Future Focused: 2020 SAISD State of the District address
On Feb. 19, 2020, SAISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez addressed a full house during his State of the District Address. The event, sponsored by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the SAISD Foundation, makes Martinez’s fifth time taking the stage to speak to the business community about San Antonio’s third-largest school district.
The Edison High School drumline kicked off the event, and was followed by Los Caballeros Distinguidos (The Distinguished Gentlemen) from Briscoe Elementary School who led the Pledge of Allegiance in English and Spanish.
Martinez used data to demonstrate the success and challenges the District and its students currently face. Since his last State of the District address, the District earned a B rating from the State of Texas.
“I am really excited to see the District embrace data and to see the numbers and the stories they told,” said Julie Bedingfield, H-E-B public affairs manager. “The presentation truly painted a picture of not only the current State of the District, but from where we come from and where we are going. It really illustrated all that through numbers so we could see the success and where we still have to grow. It was great to see that concretely laid out through data.”
Martinez stressed how important it is for schools and the District to form relationships with their neighborhoods and the San Antonio community.
“If we partner with the community, if we partner with parents, there is no limit to the dreams our children can achieve,” he said. “We see students that have aspirations. In our District, it doesn’t matter what the poverty is. What matters are the aspirations of these children and how we unite together to make these kids reach their dreams.”
In attendance at the event was U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro who said that he was excited to see the numbers Martinez presented.
“I think the District is doing great things for the students and hopefully giving them incredible opportunities for their futures the way Jefferson, Tafolla and Carvajal did for my brother and I years ago,” said Castro. “I think that the trajectory is up and there seems to be improvement all around. I am hopeful that that will continue. The numbers look great. It shows real improvement year to year and that’s what I think the community wants to see.”
Richard Perez, President and CEO of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, moderated a Q&A session after Martinez’s keynote address with questions submitted from attendees. The Lamar Elementary School Chimes and Choir performed during the closing ceremony, and students from Cyber P-TECH at Sam Houston served as ushers.